


another place (another time)

by TheQueenInTheNorth



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Accidental Timetravel, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Temporary Character Death, the crossover that not only no one asked for but was actively discouraged
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 07:32:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18132791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheQueenInTheNorth/pseuds/TheQueenInTheNorth
Summary: Diego is too late to be backup. He finds Klaus gone, Eudora dead - and a briefcase?





	another place (another time)

**Author's Note:**

> as it turns out, the answer to 'stop with those aliens and go write diedora' is: 'i can do one of those things' lol

Diego’s mind had conjured up dozens of scenarios on his way to the shady motel yet he still wasn’t prepared for what he found. Clear signs of a struggle, of Klaus’ captivity, but his brother himself nowhere to be found. And -

“Eudora,”he choked out, the name almost getting stuck in his throat.

He’d never wanted so desperately for anything as he wanted for her to tell him to not call her that, to look at him with that glint in her eye that was only half annoyance, and half something else neither of them ever dared put a name to.

But she couldn’t look at him, or tell him off, or do anything. Her skin was already cooling against the touch of his shaking hand.

He caught sight of the briefcase out of the corner of his eye; it was shoved half under the bed haphazardly, the cover of the vent next to it. The part of his mind that wasn’t reeling with grief, with guilt, absently supplied that this was probably his brother’s escape route.

Diego pulled the briefcase towards him, flicking it open. Thinking, perhaps, it might give him some hint at where to find Eudora’s murderers but really not thinking at all.

There was a flash, a strange pulling sensation somewhere around his navel, and suddenly the motel room was gone. _Everything_ was gone.

Everything but Eudora, and the briefcase.

“What the fuck,”he said to the silent corridor.

It didn’t remain silent for long, footsteps drawing closer.

He considered running but that would mean leaving Eudora here, god knows where here even was. So instead he got to his feet between whoever was coming to find them and Eudora, readying his knives.

The woman who rounded the corner had blue skin. Probably something else Five couldn’t be bothered to fucking warn them about.

There was a threat in the innocent tilt of her head, somehow.

Well, Diego had always been a fan of attacking first and asking questions later.

His knives collided with some sort of silver orb midair, knocking them off course. He got control of them again; she caught one as the other sank into her arm.

By then Diego had reached her, or perhaps she’d reached him. He went to wrench his knife free but it was lodged wrong for that, he twisted it and was satisfied that whatever that woman was, her sharp intake of air made it perfectly clear she felt pain, at least.

She drove his other knife into his leg and left it there, hands closing around his throat instead. Clearly, she had no interest in asking questions, either. Diego got as much momentum as he could and slammed his forehead into her face. She reared back, grip loosening enough for him to break free, pulling the blade from his thigh, taking a step back to regroup.

He stumbled and had just enough time to registered he’d tripped over Eudora’s legs before the blue woman was on him, a harsh, precise hit to the temple knocking him out.

* * *

He came to strapped to something, leaving his eyes closed as he heard voices near him.

He hoped to hear something that might help him figure out what the hell was going on. Instead, he heard a voice going on and on far too fast for his pounding head to keep up and finally a different voice, somewhere between irritated and soothing,“It’s no big deal, Kasius. I’ve had a broken nose plenty of times before.”

The first voice - Kasius, evidently - gave an impatient huff.“That’s beside the point, Sinara. I ought to string him up for the roaches for laying a hand on you.” Footsteps came closer and Diego made sure his breathing was perfectly even, as if he were still unconscious.“Mayhaps that’s what I’ll do, once we know what he is and how he controls those knives.” A cold finger suddenly pressed against the side of Diego’s neck and he only just managed not to flinch.“No chip. But the labs suggest he isn’t Inhuman, either.”

“Why don’t you just ask him?”the other voice, Sinara, suggested, still in that half-gentle tone.“He’s awake.” And then, decidedly less benevolently,“Stop faking, Terran.”

Diego had no clue what a Terran was but he opened his eyes anyway, to find them both staring at him as if he were some mildly interesting display in a museum. He was strapped to a vertical table, at eye level with his blue captors.

Sinara had some sort of pads on either side of her nose but the swelling wasn’t as bad as he associated with broken noses - and Diego had his fair share of experience with those. Clearly, they had some sort of non-human medical care to go with their non-human skin.

Kasius clicked his tongue impatiently.“So? What are you?”

“What am I?” Diego gave him an incredulous look.“What the fuck are you? Rejects from the damn Blue Man Group?”

Kasius wrinkled his nose, looking at Sinara.“Well, he is certainly uncouth enough to be a Terran.”

“Sorry for offending his royal highness,”Diego snarled. They strapped him down like a fucking animal and now he wasn’t even supposed to swear?

“How do you know my title?”Kasius inquired, head tilted curiously.

Diego could’ve sworn Sinara was biting back a laugh as she put her hand on Kasius’ arm.“I believe he was attempting to mock you, dear.”

“Oh.” Kasius shot Diego a glare, then proceeded as if there had been no interruption.“We can make this easy or very, very difficult. Tell me how you acquired your abilities.”

“So you can feed me to - what was it - the roaches?”

“Eavesdropping is very impolite,”Kasius said, the way one would reprimand a child.

Diego tugged at the bonds holding him down but they didn’t even give a little.“So’s tying people up without asking. Let me go and we’ll call it even.”

Kasius chuckled.“Oh, he has pluck. Bit like the girl, wouldn’t you say?”

Sinara nodded, even as Diego wondered what girl they were talking about.

“Shall we bring her in?” Kasius smiled; it reminded Diego uncomfortably of a predator baring its fangs.“Perhaps that might loosen his tongue.”

Great. They were going to do who knew what to some poor girl he’d never met for information he didn't have. He’d been born that way. It wasn’t like Reginald had ever bothered giving them an explanation, if he’d even had one himself.

“I’ve got nothing to tell you,”Diego started, but then Sinara already returned with their other captive and every word died in his throat.

“Diego,”Eudora called out, making to lunge towards him but promptly stopped by Sinara.“What’s going on?”

“I have no clue,”Diego said, his voice hoarse with emotion.“Eudora - how - you were dead. I saw you. You were _dead._ ”

“That’s what they’ve been telling me, too.” She jerked her head towards Sinara and Kasius.“I have no idea. Are you alri-”

“Not to interrupt this touching little reunion,”Kasius said, cold voice belying the faux regret,“but I have asked you a question and I still need my answer. Or do we need to let the lady become closer acquainted with death? I may not feel like bringing her back another time.”

“Please,”Diego choked out.“I don’t know why I have powers. I was born like this. I swear I don’t know. Please don’t hurt her.”

Kasius tapped his chin with one finger, watching Diego with amusement in his eyes.“What do you say, Sinara? Do we believe him?”

Diego stared at the woman with baited breath, the few seconds it took her to consider sheer agony. Then, finally, she inclined her head in the slightest nod.

* * *

They were given a cell that was almost too nice to deserve that name but could be nothing else. There were chips in the base of both necks, now, which could end their lives at a press of a button, or so Kasius assured them.

He’d told Diego that testing would begin in the morning. Perhaps that should worry him. But all he could think about was that Eudora was alive, and as safe as circumstances allowed.

They’d been provided with two cots but Eudora had crawled into his without hesitation or question, curling up against him.

Her hand was on top of his on the spot the bullet had pierced through, both of them confused at there not being so much as a mark left.

“We’ll figure out a way out of here,”Eudora whispered.

“Of course we will,”Diego replied.

He barely cared about a way out in that moment, with the steady beat of her heart under his fingertips.


End file.
